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Barbara Gittings, who had been a gay activist since the 1950s, died on Feb. 18, following a long battle with breast cancer. She was 75.
Gittings was an organizer of New York City lesbian activist group The Daughters of Bilitis in the 1950s. She edited the group’s newsletter, “The Ladder,” from 1963 to 1966 and also met her surviving partner Kay Lahusen through the group.
Gittings helped organize gay rights marches in front of the White House and Independence Hall in 1965 and was present 40 years later when a historic marker was revealed across the street from Independence Hall to commemorate the event. Gittings was also active in the campaign that led the American Psychiatric Institute to stop categorizing homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973.
Gittings is widely considered a pioneer of the gay rights movement and is included in all thorough accounts of the early days of gay and lesbian activism. She was named one of the Advocate’s 40 gay heroes in its 40th anniversary issue in September.
Warren Jaquith, founder and caller for gay square-dancing group D.C. Lambda Squares, collapsed at a beginner’s square dancing class on Feb. 26 and died Feb. 28. Jaquith had suffered a massive stroke and died at Georgetown Hospital with his long-time partner, Tom Pearson, at his side.
Jaquith had worked as a receptionist at the American Advertising Federation in Washington since 1998.
Bobbra Anderson, native Washingtonian and former owner of pioneering black gay club Ebony Hut, died on March 12 due to complications from breast cancer.
Anderson was born on May 16, 1940 and was educated in Washington. After retiring several years ago from the D.C. Department of Corrections, Anderson realized that she had a calling to help disadvantaged youth and began to work with troubled children at a school in Prince George’s County.
Anderson was an active member of the Freedom Fellowship Christian Church, where she planned special event workshops on such topics as breast cancer and will and estate planning for couples.
Anderson was an avid gardener and enjoyed cooking.
Bob Hattoy, openly gay Clinton staffer and the first openly gay man with AIDS to address a major political party convention on prime time TV, died March 3 from complications of AIDS. He was 54.
Hattoy became an activist in 1992, just two months after learning that his HIV had progressed to AIDS. Presidential candidate Bill Clinton suggested he speak at the 1992 Democratic National Convention, where he said to then-President George H.W. Bush, “Mr. President, your family has AIDS. We’re dying and you’re doing nothing about it.”
Following the speech, Hattoy joined Clinton’s staff as an as associate director of personnel. His outspoken nature and vocal criticism of the country’s treatment of gays got him bumped to a position working on environmental issues in the department of interior, but he is recognized today as a pioneer in the AIDS movement.
Local transgender entertainer Adrienne Blackwell died of cancer on May 5 at the Washington Hospital Center, according to her friend Earline Budd.
Blackwell was born on Aug. 5, 1954 in Washington. She graduated with honors from Cardoza High School and lived in the District all her life. Though employed by day at the U.S Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Blackwell was a well-known performer at local bars like Nob Hill and Bachelor’s Mill, where her signature song was Martha and the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave.”
Blackwell was the first black performer and mistress of ceremonies in the early days of Capital Pride and was recognized by Whitman-Walker Clinic in 1988 for her community outreach activities, which included founding the Adrienne Blackwell Ensemble, a guidance organization for gay youth.
Gabriella Montez, a local Latina transgender advocate, died on June 17. She was 42.
Montez was born on March 18, 1965, in El Salvador. She subsequently lived in San Francisco and worked for gay Latino health organization Gente Latina de Ambiente to raise funds for the Latino gay community and for the local fight against AIDS. She moved to Washington in 1996 to become the information and resource specialist at the National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Organization (LLEGO).
Montez was LLEGO’s first transgender employee and served as a liaison between the organization and both local and national transgender individuals. In addition to being a prominent figure at D.C.’s gay ...
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